The more they win the better the price is a saying as old as racing itself and it fitted Star Power to a tee when she was gunning for hat-trick at Ascot last Wednesday.
The grey daughter of Yarradale Stud sire War Chant (USA) had handled rises in grade without missing a beat in an Albany Maiden Plate (1100m) and Narrogin 46+ Ratings Hcp (1100m) before trainer Neville Parnham kept her at home for a searching city test last Wednesday.
Star Power took a bath in markets drifting from $10 out to $14 but that didn’t reflect what played out when she was sooled to the lead in the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1200m). “She was comfortable in front and, when I increased the tempo, she rolled along and kicked off the corner,” stable apprentice Luke Campbell explained after she held on by a narrow margin over even-money favourite Dance Boss (Deep Field).
“The boss said she would probably lead by default and be hard to beat with the rail out. She’s a bit quirky and her manners could be better but she was very good today.”
Star Power (4m War Chant – Even Astar by Kendel Star) took 15 starts to break her maiden for a partnership comprising Parnham and his wife Carol, Bob Pearson, Lyn Sayers (Yarradale Stud) and Santo Guagliardo (Ridgeport).
“She took a while to mature and finally win a race and I have Ryan Hill to thank for his work with her early on,” Parnham said. “She was skinny but he laid the groundwork and she’s holding her condition now.
“We had Snowdome in the Bluff Knoll at Albany so we sent her down there for a maiden. She’s a bit like her sister Express Time and hopefully comes through in the same vein.”
Star Power was bred at Yarradale from Even Astar who was a Listed winner of the Belgravia Stakes and Burgess Queen Stakes in 2010. Her first War Chant filly Express Time won 11 races and earned minor black-type while banking $362,000 before bowing out in the $200,000 The Joey (1200m) twelve months ago.
Express Time’s maiden cover was to Playing God last September. Even Aster foaled a Playing God colt at Yarradale last October.